


I Think I Recognise Your Face, But I've Never Seen You Before

by creatureofhobbit



Category: Lost
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-09
Updated: 2018-08-09
Packaged: 2019-06-24 03:15:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,170
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15621306
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/creatureofhobbit/pseuds/creatureofhobbit
Summary: In a timeline where the reset works, Jack meets Sawyer again in a bar after Christian's memorial.





	I Think I Recognise Your Face, But I've Never Seen You Before

Jack raised his bleary eyes from the bar and gestured with his empty glass in the direction of the bartender. “Could you stick another one in there?”

The bartender raised his eyebrows at him, “You sure you really need any more, man?”

“Another,” Jack repeated, banging his glass down on the bar. “I know exactly what I need.” And it wasn’t being stuck at home with all the relatives he didn’t even know going on about what a wonderful man his dad had been. Nor was it Marc Silverman trying to offer him the contact details of his therapist, Libby somebody.

It certainly wasn’t being stuck under the accusing gaze of Margo, plastering on her face for the sake of the relatives and secretly blaming Jack for the fact that Christian had been returned to her in a box. He’d had this from the moment he’d arrived at LAX with Margo and the hearse waiting for him. “I trusted you to bring him back to me, Jack,” she’d hissed, gripping his arm and marching him to the waiting hearse. “And you couldn’t even manage that. If you’d just reached out to him earlier, if you hadn’t done what you did…” Then she’d broken off as her father-in-law, Ray, was wheeled over to them. “We’ll discuss this later,” she had whispered as she bent to air-kiss Ray on both cheeks.

Grandpa Ray, who Jack knew had never really liked Margo, had smiled at Jack when Margo’s back was turned. “Don’t worry about her,” he’d whispered. “She’s just upset.”

Jack had smiled back for Ray’s benefit as they’d made their way to the church, to be greeted by all the relatives Jack hadn’t seen in years, and former colleagues from when Christian had been Chief of Surgery.

Marc Silverman had walked up to Jack and clasped him in a bear hug. “I’m so sorry, Jack,” he’d whispered. “We’ll talk later, yeah?”

Jack had nodded, barely having time to react before another familiar face had stepped up to him.

“What are you doing here?” he’d asked automatically.

“I’m here to pay my respects,” Sarah Shephard had replied. “He was still like family to me, even though you and I aren’t married any more.”

Jack had looked over Sarah’s shoulder, scanning the crowd for anyone who might have been with her.

Sarah had looked confused for a moment, before seeming to understand. “Oh! I came here alone,” she explained. “I thought that was more appropriate.”

Judging from Margo’s expression, she clearly didn’t think it was appropriate for Sarah to be there at all, but Ray said “It’s time to go in now,” before Margo could say anything.

“Wait,” Jack had said, putting a hand on Ray’s arm. “Are you sure we’re all here? Isn’t there someone missing?”

“Everyone we invited is here, Jack.” Ray frowned. “Who did you think was missing?”

Jack shook his head, confused. “I don’t know. I just feel like someone else should be here.”

And he’d scanned the crowd again as he gave his speech (not the one he’d written at the airport; Christian would have hated that) not sure who he should be looking for but still feeling that someone was missing.

He’d had the feeling of déjà vu again when someone had tapped him on the shoulder before he left the church. When he’d turned round to see a young blonde pregnant woman, Jack’s first thought was that she should have been someone else, and yet she looked familiar too.

He’d shaken his head, convinced it was the jetlag confusing him. “Can I help you?”

The pregnant girl had smiled awkwardly. “I’m sorry. I probably shouldn’t have stopped you. You won’t know who I am. Aunt Lindsey said he probably wouldn’t have told you anything.”

Jack had frowned. “I’m sorry, you’re going to have to start again. Who’s Lindsey? How did you know my father?”

“This is really embarrassing.” the pregnant girl had cringed. “This shouldn’t really be coming from me, and I’m sorry. Forget I spoke to you. You don’t need this now.”

She’d tried to walk away, but Jack had caught her by the arm. “Wait. Who are you?”

“I’m Claire. And your father…he was my father too.”

 

Another voice broke in on Jack’s thoughts, for which he was somewhat relieved. He didn’t want to remember the way he’d yelled at this Claire, told her it couldn’t be true, he’d know if his father had had another child, before realising that everyone gathered could hear him, Margo included.

“You tell him, Hoss.” a man with a Southern accent interrupted. “If the man needs a drink, he needs a goddamn drink.”

“Thank you.” Jack slurred. “And whatever he’s having.” He gestured in the direction of the man who had spoken, realising as he did that this man looked familiar as well. “I’m Jack,” he introduced himself.

“Sawyer,” his new friend replied.

“It’s just the same Down Under,” Sawyer informed him. “They think they know when a man’s had enough down there, too.”

“Australia?” Jack asked. “Maybe that’s why you look familiar. I just got back from there.”

Sawyer nodded. “We were on the same flight. You’re the guy that yelled at the desk clerk.”

Jack cringed. “You heard that?”

“You kidding? You were on a roll, man. The whole of Sydney Airport probably heard that. Still, you weren’t the only one. I heard someone else yelling about first class seats. And now we’re here in the same bar. Some would call that fate.”

Jack snorted. “That’s why the Red Sox will never win the Series.”

Sawyer stared at him. “What did you say?”

Jack shook his head. He probably had had one too many after all, because this conversation was starting to sound familiar too. And yet he knew he definitely hadn’t mentioned his father’s catchphrase at Sydney Airport.

“It’s just something my father used to say,” he explained.

Sawyer reached out and took Jack’s hand. “Your daddy, he died Down Under, huh?”

Jack nodded. “I’ve just come from his memorial.”

“I’m sorry,” Sawyer repeated with a faraway look in his eyes. Jack wondered what he was thinking. “That’s a son of a bitch, huh?”

The two men were silent for a while as Sawyer moved closer to Jack, put an arm around him, then kissed him softly on the lips, and again, and again.

“So, your daddy,” Sawyer asked as they eventually broke apart. “Was his name Christian, by any chance?”

Jack gasped. “How do you know that?” He knew he hadn’t mentioned his father’s name in his rant.

“Because I met him in Sydney. And he told me about how he wanted to call his son, tell him he’s not mad at him. I’m guessing he never managed to make that call.”

Jack shook his head. “He said that?”

Sawyer nodded.

“Thank you, Sawyer,” Jack leaned in close to him again. “Thank you for telling me this.”

They kissed again, and Sawyer took Jack by the hand and led him out of the bar.


End file.
